Sony’s LinkBuds Clip edges out Bose Ultra Open in ZDNET review

Sony has expanded its LinkBuds lineup with a new open-ear model, the LinkBuds Clip, and ZDNET’s Nina Raemont says it wins out over Bose’s Ultra Open for her. She calls the LinkBuds Clip the open earbuds she’d been waiting for and prefers them to the earlier LinkBuds Open form factor.

Raemont notes the two designs share a clip-on, open-ear approach meant to keep listeners aware of their surroundings rather than isolating them like noise-cancelling earbuds. She says Sony addressed fit issues from the LinkBuds Open by using a size-agnostic cushion that attaches to the outer ear with a speaker positioned beside the ear canal.

Bose’s Ultra Open debuted two years earlier, while Sony’s LinkBuds Clip has just arrived. The reviewer compares specs: the LinkBuds Clip are $230 with nine hours of battery life in the earbuds and 37 hours with the case, while the Bose Ultra Open are $300 with seven hours in the earbuds and 19 hours with the case.

Both have IPX4 ratings and support multipoint. Sony’s colors are listed as Black, Greige, Green and Lavender; Bose offers eight colors including Moonlight Grey, Midnight Violet and Moonstone Blue. Controls differ too: Sony uses touch controls and Bose uses physical buttons. Raemont recommends the Sony LinkBuds Clip for shoppers prioritizing price, battery life and a balanced, detail-oriented sound, while saying Bose stands out for color options, a more luxurious feel and tactile button controls.

Key Topics

Tech, Sony Linkbuds Clip, Bose Ultra Open, Nina Raemont, Linkbuds Open, Multipoint